NUTRITION DURING PREGNANCY

Summary: Knowing the facts and myths of nutrition during pregnancy.

Doesn't it get to you when your grandmother tells you something totally in contrast to what your OB said? Did you get into a fight with your best friend over your doctor's advice because she thinks hers is better after bearing 5 kids?

Being pregnant is already hard as it is without people making all the fuss and throwing their two cents each at you. The several physiological and emotional changes may be easier to bear than the debate over the nutrition during pregnancy that your friends and family are having. These well-meaning people may just want the best for you but your OB can give you the best advice on the proper nutrition during pregnancy. The following half-truths and total misconceptions may have cropped up during the debate:

1st Myth: Double your food intake because you're eating for two people.

Not exactly. An extra 300 calories is enough for most women. The baby inside your womb does not need the meal of a full-grown human being. Thus, the recommended weight gain is just about 24-35 pounds. This actually varies depending on the woman's height and build, and the number of babies she is carrying. Your doctor can tell you the right nutrition during pregnancy to achieve the correct weight gain as well.

2nd Myth: Drinking coffee is a no-no.

This has remained to be a debate up to now. While most studies found out that 3 or four cups of coffee a day will have no dangerous effects on the baby, some doctors and other health practitioners still insist that java causes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. If it is too much to bear not being able to drink coffee, make sure you lessen your intake. A cup or two a day is better than not having any at all.

3rd Myth: Herbal teas are safe.

Generally yes. However, intakes of large doses of herbs like peppermint and raspberry leaf are said to result in contractions and preterm labor. If you need tea as part of your nutrition during pregnancy scheme, check with your doctors which contents are safest.

4th Myth: Alcohol and cigarettes taken in moderation is ok.

For alcohol, possibly; but for cigarettes, don't even think about it. The glares you get from your parents and your hundreds of aunts may not scare you enough to throw out those sticks. But the harmful contents in cigarettes can get inside your baby's system which may result in complications. Premature and low birth weight is also a possibility.

Even if have the urge to throw out your mom and your mother-in-law out of the house when they insist on a better nutrition during pregnancy, they sometimes have a point. Their might not be based on any science, but all the same — they mean well.

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